Chapter Six: The Prince of Bleeders Summary and Analysis

Thursday, September 12. Dr. Rush came down with yellow fever. He had become so fatigued from seeing over 100 patients a day that he had become vulnerable to the illness. Even though he was very ill, he continued to see patients. He was one of the last remaining physicians to care for the more than 6,000 yellow fever victims. As word spread of his condition, more fear and panic set in. He had recently announced he had a cure for the disease. If he died, the cure would die with him.

The traditional treatment for the illness included the ingestion of herbal tea to break the fever and a glass a brandy to bring on sleep. In more severe cases, vomiting was induced and bloodletting was practiced. Bloodletting was an ancient practice that involved...